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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    Canberra
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    195

    Default veritas twin screw end vise decision

    I'm midway through building my first workbench, and I've decided to add an end vise. I want one that spans the full width of the bench. I was hoping for some advice on whether to use a twin screw or single screw vise.

    I like the Veritas Twin Screw here (except for the price - its only just affordable.) However my main concern with this vise is that my workbench is only 620mm wide. Taking account of the bench legs (which the screws have to slide between), this means the screw-screw distance can only be about 14-1/2", so it would have to be shortened from its standard 16-7/8". If the screws are brought this close together, I wonder if having the twin screws then gets a bit redundant? Does anyone have any thoughts?

    If I don't go for the twin screw vise, I guess I'd use a standard front vise as an end vise, but then I might have the opposite problem, ie a 620mm hardwood front jaw might be too long for a single screw to support adequately at each end, and I'd get bad racking (and aside from that, I'm not sure which model to go for, the options for a decent size one seem a bit limited)

    Does anyone have any suggestions?

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Towradgi
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    4,835

    Default

    I have an old Dawn No 9 with approx 600mm hardwood jaws as my end vice. I use it more than any other vice in my shed (there are only five strewn around. Dawn 6" Offset engineers, Dawn 9" Woodworkers, Dawn 4" Machinist, Record 52 ED (7") Woodworkers (Front vice) and a little 3 1/2 woodworkers vice. The Record 6" engineers vice is spare, tucked away in a cupboard)

    Check you local markets or Fleabay for old Dawn or look to Carbatec or Gasweld for the new chinese made Dawn products.
    Pat
    Work is a necessary evil to be avoided. Mark Twain

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
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    27,757

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SilverSniper View Post
    If the screws are brought this close together, I wonder if having the twin screws then gets a bit redundant?
    I don't think it would be redundant. I've seen a home made twin screw that was only 350 mm wide and it worked very well

    Quote Originally Posted by SilverSniper View Post
    If I don't go for the twin screw vise, I guess I'd use a standard front vise as an end vise, but then I might have the opposite problem, ie a 620mm hardwood front jaw might be too long for a single screw to support adequately at each end, and I'd get bad racking
    Racking is a problem at any size and in both directions - what it comes down to is the degree of racking you are prepared to live with. My cheapie single screw front vice has a 450mm long face on which racking is a problem when holding things on one edge but there are neat ways of negating this using a long bolt threaded through several dozen 1 mm thick wooden slats to pack out the opposite end of the vice (simply flip up out of the way the slats you don't need. However, there are other issues and If I was going to build my bench again I think I would go the twin screw. I like the fact that you can put things down between the screws and get a good flat grip on the objects in the vice.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    195

    Default

    Thanks for that Bob - that's good advice. I never thought of the 1mm slats, brilliant.

    I think that, being an end vice, some of the uses that you have described wouldn't necessarily apply (as I understand it, end vises main use is as a movable rack for dogs), so right now I am thinking go for the cheaper single screw front vise (as an end vise).

    Do you know where I can find a good one? (Besides Carbatec they take too long)

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
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    27,757

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    Found the pics of the anti rack slats. This is not my idea I picked it up from someone else on this site but can't remember who. You can also see the leather faced vice in this shot.





    The slats come from a couple of venetian blinds that I trimmed to length.

    As for where to buy, I bought the cheapest I could find, on reflection I did not realize how much more I was going to get into ww than I have and probably should have bought something in the next price range.

    Cheers

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Coffs Harbour
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    2,015

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    I would still go for the twin screw to avoid the racking.

    I have a large single screw vice similar to BobL and have a long face to cover the ends of the workbench, nearly 600mm.

    Racking is a problem and I have made a rod of Plywood cards to lock the opposite end.
    You had me worried BobL, I thought you had painted each leaf. That is a good idea using venetians.

    I use the vice for everything, not just with dog holes. The long vice holds thin boards so I can plane an edge. Holds boards while I saw them to length.

    I have a similar vice on the opposite long side of the workbench but find the one on the end to be more convenient for lots of jobs. Mainly because you can work from both ends of the vice.
    Scally
    __________________________________________
    The ark was built by an amateur
    the titanic was built by professionals

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Canberra
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    Default

    Thanks Scally, that's good advice. I had a look around on the net for a single screw front vise, but found the options a bit limited. Not wanting a cheap knock off, the next one up was the large Veritas which is $200 at MIK, so its still fairly expensive. So now I'm leaning back towards the twin screw... or should that be racking?

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Bowral
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    837

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    I thought long and hard about vices before I finished the design of my large bench (which I haven't started building yet so it is still subject to change!), and I eventually decided to go with a Veritas twin screw on the front and on the end. So I'll have two of the suckers to fit. Then I thought I would build two benches instead of just one, in the hope that I will be able to sell one to finance the cost of both. So now I've got four of the suckers to fit. I've got the vices ready to go. Now I need the timber and some time...
    Bob C.

    Never give up.

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